Extreme winds knock down trees, a shed and a power line on the North Coast

As gusts up to 90 kilometres per hour tear through the North Coast of B.C., trees have fallen — some knocking out power to 2,860 BC Hydro customers in Prince Rupert.

The midday flight out of Prince Rupert was delayed, but the evening flight into the city is still on schedule.

“We’re hoping to have most of the customers back on roughly 8 o’clock tonight. There may be some customers who are going to be out later than that, and there may be very few who are out until tomorrow morning,” said BC Hydro community relations manager Bob Gammer.

At the time of the interview with Gammer shortly before 5 p.m., more than half of the customers in Prince Rupert already had their power back on.

At 3:24 p.m. April 10, BC Hydro reported a power outage north of Mount Hays. A large tree near the Sunken Gardens has fallen and there are photos popping up on social media of trees laying in the streets.

A massive tree is down at Hays Cove Avenue near Frederick Street. There are about 10 trees laying down the on the road. Another tree has taken out a power line near 11th Avenue East and Frederick Street.

A shed on Donald Street has blown over into a neighbours driveway.

Power was also out in Kitkatla, where Gammer said a tree likely also hit one of their lines.

Environment Canada has issued an wind warning for the North Coast with southeast winds at 90 km/h over exposed coastal areas of the North Coast from this afternoon, and expected to ease by this evening.

Gammer said BC Hydro wants to remind people if they see downed trees to assume that the line is still live and to stay at least 10 metres away.